INS Fees Change on February 19, 2002
Posted Feb 15, 2002

We at the MurthyBulletin and MurthyDotCom wish to remind our readers that the INS filing fees are increasing on February 19, 2002. INS initially announced the fee increase on December 21, 2001, and we reported it at that time. They then modified the effective date of the fee increase to February 19, 2002. This means that all cases filed on or after February 19, 2002 must be accompanied by the new fees. A case is considered "filed" as of the date the INS actually receives it. Cases postmarked prior to February 19, 2002 but received after that date at the INS will need to include the new fees.

Please note that INS will reject (return) cases filed with incorrect fees. Rejection of a case will delay processing. We have also found that in some cases a rejection could cause serious problems with respect to maintenance of status. This is particularly evident in cases where the person assumed s/he had filed the petition or application for a change of status or an extension of status with the INS in a timely fashion (prior to the expiration of the prior status). A timely filed petition or application generally enables one to stay legally in the U.S. The INS takes the position that a petition or application that is not timely and correctly filed will not allow the person to enjoy the privilege of being considered in lawful status in the U.S. during the pendency of the petition or the application. Correct filing means that the correct fees are included and all other formalities are met. We therefore urge all of our readers to double check the fees in all their cases to avoid any problems. The INS fee chart is available on the INS WebSite. As of this writing, the chart divides the fees into two columns, current fees and proposed fees. The "proposed fees" are the fees that must be paid after February 19, 2002.